Lukman Olabiyi
The Special Fraud Unit (SFU) of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), has arraigned First Bank Plc, its Trade and Relationship Manager, Maza Maza branch, Lagos, Innocent, Chidozie Amadi and two others before the Federal High Court, Lagos, for allegedly defrauding a customer to the tune of N10, 015,172, million.
Others charged alongside the bank are Raphael, Chukwuma Nnadiekwe and his company, Nilorch Global Services Limited.
The bank customer allegedly defrauded by First Bank and others is Mrs. Ogochukwu, Nkiruka Ezeakunne.
SFU in a charge alleged that First Bank Plc, Amadi and other defendants between January 2014 and January 2015, conspired among themselves to commit a felony to wit: obtaining money under false pretence, money laundering, forgery, and issuance of dud cheques.
The bank and Amadi were alleged to have had an intent to defraud, fraudulently obtain the said money from their victim, Mrs. Ezeakunne, with the understanding that the money would be transfer to Capital Trust Limited, a subsidiary of the bank, but failed to do so.
Both First Bank and Amadi were also alleged to have on January 22, 2014, forged the bank’s Local Currency Funds Transfer form with serial number 1955576, which they inserted the name of Nilorch Global Services Limited, and Diamond Bank Plc’s account Number 0034615888, as the beneficiary of the money instead of Capital Trust Limited.
The third and fourth defendants, Nnadiekwe and Nilorch Global Services Limited, were alleged to have on April 9, 2015, and December 29, 2017, with intent to defraud issued a Diamond Bank Plc’s cheque number 00000305 and a Stanbic IBTC Bank’s cheque number: 00000129 to the fraud victim, Mrs. Ezeakunne, for the money fraudulently received from her account number 3040106396 domiciled in First Bank Plc.
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The offences according to the prosecutor, Chukwu Agwu, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, are contrary to and punishable under Sections 8, 1(a)(b)(c)(2)(3) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Related Offences Act 2006. And Section 1(2)(c) of the Miscellaneous Offences Act, 2006.
Also, the offences also contravened Sections 17(b) of the Money Laundering (prohibition) Act, 2011, (as amended). And Section 1(1)(b)(I) and (ii) of the Dishonoured Cheques Offences Act, 2004.
All the defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Upon taking the defendants’ bail applications from their counsel, Mr. O. Ikowu and Mrs. Nwogu, and the prosecution’s counter affidavit to the application, Justice Sule Hassan, ordered that the defendants be remanded in the prison custody till next week Friday, February 22, for ruling on their bail applications.
Count one of the charge against the defendants read: “that you Raphael, Chukwuma Nnadiekwe ‘M’, Innocent Chidozie Amadi ‘M’, First Bank of Nigeria Plc, Nilorch Global Services Limited, and Diamond Bank of Nigeria Plc and others at large between the months of January, 2014 and January, 2015, within the jurisdiction of the honourable court did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit: obtaining money under false pretence, money laundering, forgery and issuance of dud cheque and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 8 (a) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other Fraud Related Offences Act, 2006.